Matt Lauer Cocaine Scandal NOT True, Despite Report

Matt Lauer is NOT in a cocaine scandal, despite a tabloid cover story. Gossip Cop can exclusively correct the sensational report.

The cover of the new issue of the National Enquireris designed to make it seem like Lauer is currently embroiled in a drug scandal, tied to his time in Brazil for the Olympics. Along with a photo of the “Today” show anchor scratching his nose, a picture said to have been taken in Rio, a quote on the cover blares, “I Sold Cocaine To Matt Lauer!”

Inside the magazine, the story starts off similarly with a headline stating, “Olympic host’s career in danger as his drug dealer dishes the dirt.” There’s even a picture of the Olympic stadium in Rio to accompany the article. The piece begins, “NBC’s Rio Olympics poster boy Matt Lauer has been caught in a career-killing drug scandal!”

“In a bombshell world exclusive,” continues the supermarket tabloid, “the ‘Today’ show star’s drug dealer claimed he sold 58-year-old Matt the illegal drug ‘five to six times,’ and added: ‘I also gave Matt cocaine a couple of times, and I snorted it with him five, six times.'”

The supposed snitch goes on to allege in the supermarket tabloid, “He would come to my house, we would do two or three lines of coke together and we would hang out. Two or three times, I sold Matt a half a gram of cocaine for 100 bucks.” A different “insider” is then quoted in the often discredited magazine as saying, “Matt represented one of America’s most popular morning shows at the Olympic games. When the show’s producers find out about his drug use, it could torpedo his career.”

It’s only halfway through the cover story that it’s revealed these drug claims are NOT about Lauer’s time in Rio, but behavior that allegedly went down when the journalist was in his 20s. Yes, three decades ago. The report even ends with the supposed cocaine dealer saying Lauer “came to his senses” and “wouldn’t be where he is today if he had a serious drug problem.”

In other words, Lauer isn’t actually in a cocaine scandal at all. Significantly, the supposed drug dealer isn’t named nor are any of the allegations of past use verified. Gossip Cop, however, spoke with an actual source close to the NBC star, who tells us, “This is ludicrous,” and noted, “The Enquirer ran this exact same story in 2003!” The only habit here, as Gossip Cop has previously pointed out, is the tabloid’s pattern of recycling seemingly outrageous and untrue claims (such as the “Cher dying” cover stories). It’s pathetic and shameful.